Barrier Island Sanctuary to be Renamed in Honor of Late Doc Ehrhart During April 26 Ceremony

Doc made pivotal contributions to helping the citizens understand astounding coastal resources

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE BEACH, FLORIDA — The Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department, Environmentally Endangered Lands Program, in cooperation with the Sea Turtle Conservancy, will be hosting a renaming ceremony for the Barrier Island Sanctuary on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m.

The Barrier Island Sanctuary is being renamed in honor of the late Doc Ehrhart (1942–2022), a University of Central Florida biology professor who worked in Brevard County for more than 50 years.

At that time, Doc made pivotal contributions to helping the citizens of Brevard County understand their astounding coastal resources.

Doc and his students began the first sea turtle nesting surveys on the beaches of southern Brevard, scientifically documenting the prominent nesting there. This documentation was the basis for designating these beaches as the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.

Thanks to Doc, the refuge is now internationally recognized as one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting sites.

The ceremony will be held at the Barrier Island Center located at 8385 S. Highway A1A in Melbourne Beach.

For more information, contact the Barrier Island Center at 321-723-3556.

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